The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Sixes & Sevens takes its name from the idiom 'at sixes and sevens', that state of being between choices, between worlds, uncertain which way you'll land. Josh Lobb designed this around that tension. The Pacific Northwest has always informed his work, but here there's a deliberate pull toward something more urban, more unpredictable. Walnut anchors the composition with a warm, slightly bitter sweetness. Castoreum and civet add an animalic depth that grounds everything. Around that core, Lobb arranged fir resin, oud, and frankincense, materials that carry the misty forest sensibility of the brand but filtered through a different kind of darkness. The result is a fragrance that feels rooted in place while remaining deliberately unplaceable.
The animalic notes here don't function as accent notes, they form the spine of the entire composition. Castoreum brings that leathery, tar-like depth; civet adds the dirty, feral edge. Both are materials that divide opinion sharply. Lobb clearly didn't care. Paired with walnut and iris, the animalics gain a certain nuttiness, a warmth that could almost be edible. The fir resin provides the counterbalance, cool, camphorated, slightly medicinal. Frankincense and opoponax add smoky, balsamic warmth. The structure is dense but not heavy. The fragrance occupies space without forcing it. Natural musk and benzoin fill the quiet gaps.
The evolution
The opening announces castoreum and cumin first, sharp, animalic, a little dirty. The fir resin cuts through with a cool, green bite. Common rue adds an herby, almost bitter quality. This is not a gentle introduction. Over the next two to three hours, the walnut emerges, warm, slightly bitter, unexpectedly sweet. Iris appears as a powdery, violet-adjacent softness that tempers the animalic edge. Benzoin and opoponax bring a honeyed, balsamic warmth to the heart. The civet lingers throughout, never quite disappearing. By the drydown, the leather becomes more pronounced, rich, smoky, paired with the deep, resinous quality of oud and frankincense. Sandalwood adds cream. The animalic notes don't vanish. They evolve, becoming skin-like, intimate, blending with the natural musk until the fragrance reads as an extension of the wearer rather than something applied. Ten hours later, on fabric, a faint trace of oud and castoreum remains.
Cultural impact
Sixes & Sevens occupies a specific corner of niche perfumery, the kind of fragrance that divides rooms and builds loyalty. The animalic materials, particularly castoreum and civet, are polarizing by nature. Those drawn to them tend to become evangelists. The limited production and 2018 launch date place it within Slumberhouse's mature period, after Norne established the house's reputation for unconventional depth. It sits comfortably alongside other resinous, animalic niche fragrances, not quite like Al Oudh, but sharing that willingness to prioritize character over universal appeal. The strong longevity and sillage ratings reflect a fragrance that was built to last and to project.
